Thursday, February 4, 2010

Social Media is Driving Me Insane!

This is probably in part why I haven't blogged in way too long! I have a Twitter headache, a Facebook bone ache, and a Flickr zit. I apologize to all the good folks I have been presenting to and instructing to look at my blog for good examples - good examples of being mad at social media! And thank you Dorset Custom Furniture for the Vermont public relations plug after I presented to the VT Wood Manufacturers Association at The McKernon Group in Brandon - I am digging this furniture, woodworking, custom kitchen, home renovating thing - maybe it's time for one of my own woodworking posts - I think I forgot to tell the woodworking folks I refinish wood furniture in my spare time! When I am not detoxing from social media crack that is!

Aurgh - so see? Miss "I-Like-To-Present-On-Social-Media-Too" has had it as well! I have been thinking about this post for a while and talking about it even longer, so getting to the point I go:

Ways to Stay Sane in the World of Social Media:

1.) Make plans with social networking friends to go out to dinner at great Vermont restaurants and plan a little drive with some good tunes to get there (hint: this is called Vermont Vibing). Start with me! The Mitch and I are seeking interesting people to have dinner dates with so we can discuss current affairs in Vermont and get our VPR pledge drive money's worth.

2.) Use social media to get good book ideas, visit a used book store, buy the book and read it far, far away from your computer, IPod, IPhone, Blackberry, and whatever other gadget I am not aware of because I stopped at the IPod.

3.) Never under estimate the power of the written planner and how much attention you get when you use it - excellent marketing tool.

4.) Use all of your social networks to tell people you are away and then do whatever you want and feel free from feeling like you are ignoring anyone.

5.) Connect with a few of your social media peeps, tweeps, and creeps and plan a party - not a "tweet-up" for the purpose of promoting business, brand, image, and not-promoting - a full on bash. And include me - I am ready to plan a party with all the folks I think are awesome on the internet - let's do it at a Vermont State Park!

And lastly - forget hiring me for a consultation - I want to MC your event!

5 comments:

viv.infantino said...

You are my new holistic doctor-essa of modern communication love! Much other good works do not get done (nor good words spoken) when one is caught up in the S/M word-wide-web. Don't get me wrong; there have been work-related photo postings that hit the mark, there have been ex-80's-euro-model sitings that have rekindled friendships in what was a VERY unfriendly and insular world. You're right, though, what about US, what about VERMONT, and dinner out (or dinner in), a VT microbrew tasting, a VT cheese tasting, all with friends! and in person...? When people ask me why would I rather be here than in Italy where I lived for 20+ years, I've got firm (pro VT) answers, but the one thing that hands down wins (that Italians do right) is the gathering of friends for FOOD and lively discussion. It's a religion and we ought to adopt it and replace that of computer adoration. (Plus I don't think friends are as obsessed with planned obsolescence.)

joanna said...

Hello Rachel.
I have been hearing your name all over the place lately. I love that I'm not the only one who is driven batty by social media. I swear if I never got online I'd have written a book by now (but then how would I have met the editor?). I would not have a (almost) thriving business 6 months after quitting my job if it wasn't for FB, etc. So it's a love-hate thing.

I hope we get a chance to meet soon at WBON or somewhere else along the way.
joanna

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Ken said...

I enjoy reading your blog articles. Your posts are helpful and interesting. I see a lot of parallels between PR and SEO.
Our family-owned small business,jaxseoworks.com, helps local small businesses improve their web presence, and we encourage our clients to post blog articles with those same attributes.
Good stuff!
Thank you for sharing your insights and encouragement.

Rachel Carter said...

Thanks folks - Joanna - please introduce yourself if we are in the room together!